Department of Tourism, Government of Goa COVID-19 Safety and Hygiene Guide for Water Sports & River Cruise activities in Goa GUIDELINES FOR WATER SPORTS & RIVER CRUISE ACTIVITIES 1. APPLICABILITY The guidelines are applicable to all Water Activities registered with Department of Tourism, Govt. of Goa (DOT). Any Water Activities not yet registered with DOT is required to complete their registration before (re)starting their operations in the state. Any violation found in this regard will lead to severe action from DOT, under Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act 1982. Following are the list of water activities: Barefoot Skiing Boating Kayaking Surfing Stand up paddle surfing Canoeing Jet Skiing Wake Boarding Rafting Sit-down hydrofoiling Skim Boarding Parasailing Wake Surfing Rowing Water Scooters Kite surfing Wake Skating Dinghy Sailing Skurfing Others (as specified during Scuba Diving Yachting Cable Skiing Flow Boarding registration) Wind Surfing Body Boarding Sailing Kite boating In addition, the guidelines were provided for river cruise / 1-hour evening cruises activities too. It must also be clearly understood that any instructions issued by the State Government or other Competent Authorities from time to time will be binding and will override the provisions in this document and must be strictly complied with. 2. PRE-REQUISITES FOR OPERATOR The following list of essentials shall be required to be complied by all water activity operators to commence the business. 2.1. CONSUMABLES AT BOOKINGOFFICE PREMISES / TICKET COUNTERS / ENTRY EXIT POINTS OF WATER SPORTS ACTIVTIIES / JETTIES (IF APPLICABLE) • Hand Sanitizer at key locations in office / ticket counters / entry and exit point of water sports activities / Jetties and extra pairs of face masks • Handwash in all washrooms • Tissue Paper in all washrooms (no towels) • Adequate cleaning equipment & materials 2.2. PRE-REQUISITES FOR STAFF a) The activity operator / in-charge should ensure that all staff members, both skilled and unskilled, have downloaded Aarogya Setu application or provided their details on feature and landline phones via IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System). b) Identify if any staff member is suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms: • Temperature check through thermal gun • Enquire if the staff has any COVID-19 symptoms (like fever like fever, cough, shortness of breath, persistent pain in chest) • Enquire if any staff member (in the last 3 weeks) had: (1) travel history, especially to Govt. declared red zones or those places reported of any positive cases (2) came in contact with anyone who is COVID-19 positive (relative / friend / acquaintance) c) If any staff member is suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms: • The staff should be escorted to the nearest COVID health care center / hospital for testing. • The activity operator / in-charge should advise the employee to follow the quarantine / isolation instructions, as suggested by health care center / hospital • The booking office should also maintain a record of temperature of all the staff members in a register (apart from the details that they normally collect about their staff). 2.3. STAFF TRAINING a) Provide training to staff in hygiene and sanitation practices and troubleshooting risks. b) All staff members shall be briefed about orders from State Government and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GOI regarding Do’s & Don’ts at home, public area & workplace and ensuring that they follow them including no spitting, no removing masks Infront of people / tourists, use of gloves, coughing, use of handwash / hand sanitizer & all safe practices as prescribed by the Government authorities. c) Any new notification / order from State Government and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GOI shall be informed & explained to the employee by the activity operator. d) Staff to be briefed about the SOPs provided in this document. e) Staff to be briefed about personal hygiene. 2.4. STAFF SANITATION AND HYGIENE PRACTICES a) Wearing a face mask at all times at work is compulsory. b) Hand Sanitizer shall be used to clean hands as often as possible. c) Maintain social distancing of 2 m (6 feet). at all times. d) If the staff carries any food, the same to be brought in reusable containers that are washed every day. 3. PROTOCOLS FOR WATER SPORTS ACTIVITIES The following guidelines are to be followed by all the staff members directly or indirectly involved with the operations of any water sports activity: 3.1. BOOKINGS a) Booking and travels plans are to be accepted for tourists with no medical history of the virus in the last 28 days. b) All activity operators should seek Information on age, medical history, allergies, past covid-19 test etc. in the form of Self-declaration (Appendix-1) from all the customers. c) It encouraged to take bookings online or via an online platform with cashless transactions only. d) The activity operator shall explore different options for operations, where possible, such as advanced tickets, timed entries, smaller groups. e) Proper record and logs are to be maintained for each customer. f) Inform the customers (at the time of booking) regarding new measures and service limitations that the customers may expect in the State due to Covid-19 situation. The operator needs to explain that same is essential for health and safety of customers and local public including encouraging customers to maintain social distancing, face masks, and use sanitizers etc. The same is mandatory in case of group activities. 3.2. PROTOCOLS FOR EQUIPMENT’S USED FOR ACTIVITY a) All Equipment’s, including life jackets, floating devices etc. must be thoroughly disinfected prior to boarding of customers. b) High touch areas (handles, seats, seat backs, steering wheel, power window buttons, door locks, windows, screens, etc.) should be sprayed with disinfectant surface cleaner regularly. c) Hand sanitizer dispenser and masks must be kept available before using of any activity equipment. d) Ensure all information provided to customers is strictly through digital means (this may include activity itinerary; safety precautions for hygiene and disinfection) 3.3. PROTOCOLS BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF WATER TOURISM ACTIVITY a) Greet the customers saying “Namaste”. No shaking of hands is recommended b) Ensure that customers are taken in small groups and physical distance of 2 feet is maintained between customers during the activity. The social distancing norms shall be changed and aligned according to the directives issued by Ministry of Health & Family welfare. In case of groups, the occupancy of activity, at a time, shall not be more than 50% of their total capacity. c) Ensure queue markers with enough distancing at boarding and de-boarding points of the water activity. d) Screen all customers at entry point for symptoms of COVID-19 such as temperature (using non- contact type thermometer/ thermal guns), cough, cold, etc. Temperature Screening should be conducted while maintaining privacy. e) The staff of the operator should wear the appropriate protective gears as per the guidelines (face masks/face shield/ gloves) f) Those with temperature more than 37.5 °C (99 °F) and/or flu like symptoms shall not be permitted for the water activity. The management should record their contact details and be empathetic towards such customers, while advising them to return and seek medical help. g) Customers showing any of the symptoms of COVID-19 will be recommended to visit a doctor and the administrative / health authorities shall be notified of such visitors for further protocol. 3.4. SOCIAL DISTANCING a) All vessels such as boat, sea rafting etc to operate with not more than 50% of its seating capacity excluding the equipment operator. b) A safe physical distance of at least 2 metres (6 feet) is recommended to customers at all the times. Physical distance markings at all waiting areas like entrance, ticketing should be done for customers to stand during the queue. c) Clear Signages on “safe physical distance of at least 2 metres (6 feet)” to be displayed at frequent places at the booking Stations/ ticketing areas/ Area of Boarding /de-boarding to reinforce social distancing behaviour among the staff and customers. d) Rearrangement of common sitting / gathering areas at the waiting areas / ticketing area. Seating arrangement should be done following social distancing norms. 4. PROTOCOLS FOR RIVER CRUISES 4.1. ENTRY & EXIT POINTS a) Thermal screening of visitors/staff is to be carried out at entry points. Only asymptomatic individuals shall be allowed to enter the jetty premises. b) Provisions for hand sanitization should be made available at all entry points and in work areas. c) Designated queue markers shall be made available for entry and exit of the audience from the boat and the jetty premises. d) The Exit should be done in a staggered row-wise manner to avoid crowding. e) Sufficient time interval between successive river cruises on a single boat as well as on various boats on a jetty shall be provided to ensure row-wise staggered entry and exit of the audience. 4.2. SEATING ARRANGEMENTS a) The occupancy of the boats shall not be more than 50% of their total seating capacity. b) Seating arrangement inside the boat to be made in such a way that adequate physical distancing is maintained. c) Seats that are “Not to be occupied” shall be marked as such during booking (for both online booking and at the counter sale of tickets). Note: The “Not to be occupied “seats inside boats should either be taped or marked with fluorescent markers to prevent people from occupying these seats so as to ensure adequate physical distancing at all times. 4.3. PHYSICAL DISTANCING NORMS a) Proper crowd management outside the jetty premises—duly following physical distancing norms shall be ensured. b) Efforts shall be made to avoid overcrowding in the common areas and washrooms during the river cruise. Audience may be encouraged to avoid movement.